Urban Placemaking

Urban Development

Our designers leverage placemaking strategies focused on creating a vibrant public realm. Whether it's bringing new life to a small-town square, saving a historic building, or reimagining an urban space, we choose to focus on creating meaningful and engaging developments.

Levitt Shell at Overton Park

A2H partnered with the Overton Park Conservancy to make improvements to the Levitt Shell in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee. The venue, Memphis's most prominent urban park, hosts more than more than 50 free concerts for the community annually. The project included improvements to the music and production wings, a reimagined community area for volunteers and vendors, and a redesigned sponsor area.

Baptist Medical Group Midtown Memphis Clinic

BMG shared with A2H their goal to provide a high end medical clinic that was centrally located while minimizing development cost by avoiding costly new construction. A2H conducted a property condition assessment and retrofitted this abandoned post office building in midtown Memphis to meet the client’s needs and to reengage it with the surrounding streetscape. Project components included a context-sensitive design, space planning for the facility, asbestos and mold treatment, and a focus on energy efficiency.

Bluff Restaurant at the Highland Strip

The Bluff is a new Cajun-inspired restaurant and live music venue designed as part of the city’s efforts to revive the Highland Strip area in Memphis. The establishment features two downstairs bars, a stage, a green room, an outdoor patio with seating, and a 1,300-square-foot mezzanine with another bar.

Ripley Downtown Revitalization

A2H developed a Master Plan for the revitalization of Ripley’s historic downtown courthouse square. All streets, sidewalks, and landscape were removed and replaced to enhance the look of the square and meet current ADA requirements. Pedestrian enhancements included large plazas, an interactive laminar fountain, and an outdoor amphitheater. Other project components included decorative paving and lighting, restoration of the county courthouse, and facade renovation of 44 buildings in the affected area.

Ripley Downtown Revitalization

A2H developed a Master Plan for the revitalization of Ripley’s historic downtown courthouse square. All streets, sidewalks, and landscape were removed and replaced to enhance the look of the square and meet current ADA requirements. Pedestrian enhancements included large plazas, an interactive laminar fountain, and an outdoor amphitheater. Other project components included decorative paving and lighting, restoration of the county courthouse, and facade renovation of 44 buildings in the affected area.

Downtown Milan Revitalization

To increase safety and create functional pedestrian spaces, the City of Milan underwent a revitalization of its downtown streetscapes. Project included improved safety measures, evaluation for ADA compliance, and various measures to improve the aesthetic of the downtown corridors — including widened decorative sidewalks, landscape beds, era-styled light posts, bike racks, and other updated site furnishings.